Health

Useful Tips to Treat Colds and Flu Symptoms

Colds and flus are some of the most common diseases. Unfortunately, these do not have a cure, and this is why it is important to understand the common cold symptoms and treatments. One of the common flu symptoms and treatment is a fever. Fever is an indication of the body turning up the heat in order to fight off the symptoms of a flu virus. The good news is there are several methods that you can use for cold symptoms and treatment.

Here are a few common cold treatments.

Get a lot of rest

You will need to take rest. The first day you notice the symptoms, get in touch with your school, or work and let them know that you will not be attending it for the next few days. The cold can be very contagious. Therefore, you will need to take advantage of the downtime to give your body the much-needed rest. Take time to read, watch DVDs, or take a nap.

Drink a lot of liquids

Ensure you are drinking a lot of liquids. This doesn’t have to be water. You can drink a sports drink, fruit juices, and the broth-based soups. These can help hydrate your respiratory system and turn your thick mucus into a thin liquid that you can cough out. This is better as it prevents the buildup of the mucus in the lung which can cause lung infections.

Breathe in some steam

You should begin by filling the bathroom sink with some hot water. You can then add a teaspoon of OTC menthol rub, and take time to breathe in that steam for several minutes until you can feel better. Another alternative is to add some drops of eucalyptus oil or menthol. These help open your airways, minimize congestion, and ensure that it is easier for you to breathe.

A steamy bathroom

In case your nose is still feeling stuffed up, you can sit in your bathroom with the door closed behind. You can let the shower flow with hot water until the bathroom is filled with moist steam. However, you will need to be careful to avoid burns.

Use a lozenge

Sucking the soothing lozenges can help moisten and coat that scratchy throat. This can help quite the cough as well.

Set a humidifier

It could be the dry air in your house that might be causing the problem. You can use a mist humidifier to moisten the air and ease a cough and congestion symptoms. Avoid using too warm mist as it promotes the growth of molds and bacteria. Also, ensure that the device is kept clean to prevent the development of molds.